Simms ready for round three

Quarterback Chris Simms spent much of the 2008 season and all of the 2010 offseason with the Titans. On Wednesday, he returned to practice once again in Nashville.

He was signed earlier in the week to provide a veteran back-up presence to rookie starter Rusty Smith – at least until Kerry Collins recovers from his calf injury.

“Hopefully the third time is the charm,” Simms said. “It’s good to be back. It definitely beats sitting at home being daddy day-care. I’m just glad to be back in the locker room, especially here. I was still living here in Green Hills, so it made it easy for my family.”

Simms, who was cut by the Titans at the end of training camp, said he heard from other teams in the past couple of months.

“There were a few times I thought maybe I was headed somewhere and circumstances changed or the team didn’t sign anybody,” Simms said. “So it’s of course very frustrating sitting at home watching games on Sunday, but I guess patience is a virtue here.”

Simms will wear the No. 7 jersey here, since the No. 11 jersey he was wearing during training camp has since been taken by Smith. He’d actually like to wear 2 – the number he wore during stints in Denver and Tampa Bay – but Rob Bironas has long held that number for the Titans.

“I’ve been No. 2 everywhere except for this team,” Simms said. “That Bironas – I can’t get it from him. He’s put a lofty price tag on it. Maybe if I had Randy Moss money I could pay for that, but I’m not paying for it.”